LAMB SCAM – CHECKS REVEAL GOAT MEAT AND DISHES WRONGLY DESCRIBED
Checks on meat and dishes claiming to contain goat meat showed more than half were actually lamb or mutton, Sandwell Council's trading standards team has revealed.
Trading standards officers visited takeaways, butchers shops, supermarkets and restaurants selling goat meat and dishes to check they were made of goat.
Nineteen samples were taken of raw and frozen meat, curries and other dishes and 11 of them were found to be mis-described - they were in fact lamb or mutton. Substitution of one meat for another is a criminal offence under Section 14 of the Food Safety Act 1990.
The offence is fraud by deceiving a consumer into buying something they did not want or expect.
By substituting goat for often cheaper meat, the offence also saves the business money and creates unfair competition.
Offenders may face fines of up to £20,000 and/or imprisonment for up to six months if they are prosecuted in a Magistrates Court.
Trading Standards investigations into the offences are continuing. Cabinet member for Public Health and Protection, Councillor Preet Gill said: “Clearly it’s unacceptable that our officers have found businesses selling lamb and mutton as goat. “It’s important that consumers know exactly what they are purchasing so that they can make an informed choice about what they eat.
Everyone has the right to know exactly what they are eating.” Trading Standards and Licensing Manager Bob Charnley added: ‘‘It’s our job to ensure that food is correctly described and labelled. We will speak to all the offending businesses and take any appropriate enforcement action necessary to ensure they comply with the rules in the future.’’ If you suspect food is not correctly described please contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0345 4040506 Notes to editors 1. Section 14 of the Food Safety Act 1990 makes it a criminal offence to offer to the prejudice of the purchaser, food which is not of the nature, substance or quality demanded.
The penalty for a breach of Section 14 is given in Section 35 of the Act. For conviction in a Magistrates Court, the penalty is a fine of up to £20,000 and/or up to 6 months in prison.
For conviction in a Crown Court the penalty is an unlimited fine and/or up to 2 years in prison.